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Celebrate color and quirk with the Amigurumi Rainbow Skull Bouquet, a bold and playful crochet project that’s anything but ordinary! 🌈💀 This vibrant arrangement features a cheerful mix of rainbow-hued skulls, each stitched with personality and flair, making it perfect for Pride celebrations, gothic décor with a twist, or simply adding a splash of joy to your handmade collection. Whether displayed in a vase, gifted as a statement piece, or used as a keychain charm, this bouquet is a brilliant blend of spooky and sweet.

Ideal for crocheters who love mixing edgy motifs with joyful palettes, this pattern invites endless creativity. You can play with yarn textures, add glittery accents, or even pair it with matching rainbow roses for extra drama. Whether you’re crafting for a celebration or just expressing your colorful spirit, the Rainbow Skull Bouquet is a fabulous way to stitch up bold beauty—one radiant loop at a time! 🧶✨

A colorful crochet bouquet featuring skull heads in various colors, each with black eye sockets and nose details. The stems and leaves are also crocheted, tied with a multicolored bow, and surrounded by multicolored crochet flowers. The background shows a blurred room with rainbow decorations.

🌈💀 Rainbow Skull Bouquet Crochet Pattern

Bring the vibrant spirit of Día de los Muertos into your home with this stunning Rainbow Skull Bouquet! This whimsical creation combines colorful crocheted skulls with cheerful flowers, all bundled together with a bold rainbow bow. Perfect for Halloween, Day of the Dead celebrations, or as a unique year-round decoration that’s equal parts spooky and cheerful!

📋 Pattern Information

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time to Complete: 8-12 hours for full bouquet

Finished Dimensions:

Each skull: 9-10 cm tall × 8 cm wide
Flower diameter: 7-8 cm
Stem length: 22-25 cm
Complete bouquet height: ~30 cm

🧶 Materials Needed

Yarn

DK weight yarn (light worsted / 8-ply) in the following colors:

Skull colors: White, yellow, orange, red, coral/salmon, light green, blue, light purple, lavender (1 ball each)
Black: for eyes and noses (1 ball)
Cream/off-white: for teeth (small amount)
Green: for stems (2-3 balls)
Flower petals: Red, yellow, blue, purple (1 ball each)
Flower centers: Yellow/gold (1 ball)
Rainbow bow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple (1 ball each)

Other Supplies

Crochet hook: 3.0 mm (US C/2 or D/3)
Yarn needle for sewing
Scissors
Polyester fiberfill stuffing
Floral wire or thick pipe cleaners (22-24 gauge, 9-12 pieces)
Hot glue gun (optional, for securing stems)
Stitch markers (helpful)
Black embroidery floss (optional, for mouth lines)

🔤 Abbreviations (US Terms)

MR = Magic Ring
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
inc = increase (2 sc in same stitch)
dec = invisible decrease (sc2tog)
sl st = slip stitch
FO = fasten off
BLO = back loop only
st(s) = stitch(es)
R = Round

💀 SKULL PATTERN (Make 8-9 in various colors)

Head/Main Skull Shape

R1: MR, 6 sc (6)
R2: inc × 6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) × 6 (18)
R4: (2 sc, inc) × 6 (24)
R5: (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30)
R6: (4 sc, inc) × 6 (36)
R7-13: sc around (36) — 7 rounds even
R14: (4 sc, dec) × 6 (30)
R15: (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24)
R16: (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18)
👉 Stuff firmly, shaping into skull form with slightly flattened front
R17: (sc, dec) × 6 (12)
R18: dec × 6 (6)
FO, leaving long tail. Weave through remaining stitches and pull tight to close.

👉 PRO TIP: When stuffing, push filling toward the back and sides to create a flatter “face” area for attaching features.

Eye Sockets (Make 2 per skull in BLACK)

R1: MR, 6 sc (6)
R2: inc × 6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) × 6 (18)
R4: sc around (18)
sl st, FO leaving long tail for sewing.

👉 NOTE: These are larger than typical eyes to create the dramatic look from the photo. When attaching, place them fairly high on the face, spaced about 1-2 stitches apart.

Nose (Make 1 per skull in BLACK)

R1: MR, 6 sc (6)
R2: (sc, inc) × 3 (9)
R3: sc around (9)
R4: (sc, dec) × 3 (6)
sl st, FO leaving long tail.

👉 SHAPING: Pinch the final round into an upside-down heart or triangle shape when sewing to skull. Position centered below and between the eyes.

Teeth (Make 5-6 per skull in CREAM/OFF-WHITE)

Method 1 – Tiny Rectangles:

Ch 4
Turn, sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (3 sc)
Ch 1, turn, sc across (3 sc)
Repeat for 2-3 rows total
FO, leaving tail for sewing

Method 2 – Small Ovals:

Ch 4
Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 1, 3 sc in last ch
Working on opposite side: sc 1, inc in last st
FO

👉 Make 5-6 teeth per skull. They should be tiny – about 0.5 cm each.

Mouth Line (Embroidery)

Using black embroidery floss or yarn:

Embroider a slightly curved smile line across lower face (about 1/3 down from nose)
The line should curve gently upward at the ends for a friendly skull expression
Sew teeth along this line, spacing evenly with small gaps between

👉 PLACEMENT TIP: Start from the center tooth and work outward for symmetry.

🌿 STEM PATTERN (Make 8-12 total)

Preparation: Cut floral wire to 25-28 cm length (slightly longer than finished stem).

R1: With GREEN yarn, ch 8, sl st to first ch to form ring (or MR with 8 sc)
R2-50: sc around (8) — work in continuous spiral

👉 IMPORTANT: After about round 5, insert your floral wire through the center. Continue crocheting around it. Add light stuffing as you go if desired for fuller stems.

R51: sc around (8), sl st, FO leaving 15-20 cm tail for attachment.

Finishing:

Leave about 2 cm of wire extending from the top
Apply small dot of hot glue to wire tip
Insert into bottom of skull and glue in place
Use yarn tail to sew stem securely to skull base, going around multiple times

🌸 FLOWER PATTERN (Make 3-4 in various colors)

Flower Center (YELLOW/GOLD)

R1: MR, 6 sc (6)
R2: inc × 6 (12)
R3: (sc, inc) × 6 (18)
R4: sc around (18)
sl st, FO leaving long tail.

👉 The center should be slightly domed/puffy.

Flower Petals (Make 5 per flower)

R1: MR, ch 2 (counts as first hdc), 9 hdc in ring (10)
R2: ch 2, hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around (20)
R3: ch 2, (hdc, inc-hdc) × 10 (30)
sl st to beginning ch, FO leaving long tail.

👉 Each petal should be a flat circle about 4-5 cm wide.

Flower Assembly

Lay out 5 petals in a circular pattern, overlapping edges slightly
Sew petals together where they meet (just a few stitches each)
Position center on top, covering the petal joins
Sew center securely to all petals
Attach to top of stem (same method as skulls)

👉 COLOR COMBINATIONS FROM PHOTO:

Red petals with yellow center
Yellow petals with yellow center
Blue petals with yellow center
Purple/lavender petals with yellow center

🎀 RAINBOW BOW PATTERN

Bow Strips (Make 2)

With RED yarn:

Ch 60 (or length to reach ~25 cm)
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (59 sc)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc across in BLO (59)

Continue in stripe pattern, changing colors every 2 rows:

Rows 3-4: ORANGE
Rows 5-6: YELLOW
Rows 7-8: GREEN
Rows 9-10: BLUE
Rows 11-12: PURPLE
Repeat sequence once more (Rows 13-24)
FO after final purple row

👉 You should have a long striped rectangle about 25 cm × 5 cm.

Make a second identical strip.

Bow Center Band

Ch 12 with RED
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (11 sc)
Rows 2-4: ch 1, turn, sc across (11)
Continue color stripes (2 rows each color) for about 20-22 rows total
FO

Bow Assembly

Take first strip and fold into a loop, crossing ends in back
Pinch center and sew to secure the “bow” shape
Repeat with second strip
Stack the two loops perpendicular to each other (like a bow)
Wrap center band around middle, sewing in back to secure
Leave long tails of yarn for tying around bouquet

👉 FINAL LOOK: Your bow should have 4 visible loops and a striped center band.

🪡 BOUQUET ASSEMBLY

Step 1: Prepare Your Elements

8-9 completed skulls on stems (in rainbow order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, plus white/cream variations)
3-4 flowers on stems
1 rainbow bow

Step 2: Arrange the Bouquet

Back row (tallest): 4-5 skulls
Middle row: Mix of 3-4 skulls and 2 flowers
Front row: 1-2 flowers

👉 ARRANGEMENT TIP:

Place tallest skulls in back center
Alternate colors throughout (don’t put same colors together)
Fan out slightly for visual interest
Flowers should peek between skulls

Step 3: Secure Stems

Hold all stems together at midpoint (~10-12 cm from bottom)
Wrap tightly with green yarn several times
Tie off and trim excess
You can also wrap with floral tape for extra security

Step 4: Attach Bow

Wrap bow around the stem bundle where you tied them
Position bow in front, tails hanging down
Tie tightly in back with yarn tails
Arrange bow loops for fullness
Trim ribbon tails to desired length (10-15 cm)

Step 5: Final Shaping

Bend individual stems slightly to create natural bouquet shape
Ensure all faces are visible from front
Adjust flower positions
Fluff bow and make sure rainbow colors show

💡 Tips for Photo-Accurate Results

Color Selection

The photo shows pastel and bright tones together. Aim for:

1-2 white or cream skulls
1-2 vibrant primary colors (red, blue, yellow)
Remaining in softer shades (coral, mint, lavender, peach)

Facial Feature Placement

Eyes: Position high on face, about 1/3 down from top
Space eyes: 1-2 stitches apart at closest point
Nose: Centered, just touching bottom of eye area
Mouth: 1/3 of the way up from bottom
Teeth: 5 teeth works best visually (center tooth + 2 on each side)

Achieving the “Cute Skull” Expression

Slightly upward curved mouth = friendly
Large round eyes = cute rather than scary
Small nose = less intimidating
Visible teeth = character without being frightening

Making Flowers Pop

Use bright, saturated colors for petals
Always use yellow/gold centers for consistency
Make sure centers are well-stuffed and domed
Sew petals with even spacing for symmetry

Stem Strength

Don’t skip the wire! It’s essential for poseable stems
If stems feel floppy, use thicker wire (20 gauge)
Make sure wire extends fully through stem
Hot glue at top prevents wire from sliding

📸 Display Ideas

✨ Standing Display: Use a tall vase or cylinder (leave wire ends long to rest in vase)
✨ Wall Hanging: Add a loop to back for hanging as flat wall art
✨ Table Centerpiece: Trim stems shorter for low arrangement
✨ Ofrenda Decoration: Perfect for Day of the Dead altars
✨ Photo Prop: Great for seasonal photography

🎨 Customization Ideas

Color Variations

Pastel Rainbow: All soft colors for spring/Easter version
Neon Brights: Ultra-vibrant for modern aesthetic
Monochrome: All white skulls with white flowers and silver bow
Traditional DOTD: Orange, pink, purple, yellow (traditional Mexican palette)

Size Adjustments

Mini Bouquet: Use sport weight yarn and 2.5mm hook (skulls ~5-6cm)
Giant Bouquet: Use chunky yarn and 6mm hook (skulls ~15cm)

Alternative Flowers

Replace some flowers with crocheted roses
Add marigolds (traditional DOTD flowers)
Include small hearts instead of flowers

Extra Details

Add rhinestones to eye centers for sparkle
Embroider decorative swirls on foreheads (DOTD style)
Use glitter yarn for bow
Add small bells hidden in flowers

❓ Troubleshooting

Problem: Skulls look lumpy or misshapen
Solution: Stuff more firmly and shape with your hands as you stuff. Push filling into top/back for rounder heads.

Problem: Eyes won’t stay flat against face
Solution: Sew around entire perimeter with matching thread, pulling slightly tight every few stitches.

Problem: Teeth keep falling off
Solution: Use fabric glue in addition to sewing, or embroider teeth directly with white yarn (satin stitch).

Problem: Stems are floppy
Solution: Use thicker gauge wire (20g instead of 24g) or double up on thinner wire.

Problem: Bow won’t stay puffy
Solution: Add a small piece of cardboard inside each loop before wrapping center band.

Problem: Bouquet won’t stay arranged
Solution: Wire stems together at 2 points (once near top, once near bottom) before adding bow.

⏱️ Time Breakdown

Each skull: 45-60 minutes (including features)
Each flower: 30-40 minutes
Each stem: 20-30 minutes
Bow: 60-90 minutes
Assembly: 30-45 minutes
TOTAL: 10-14 hours for complete bouquet

🌟 Final Thoughts

This Rainbow Skull Bouquet is a true labor of love that combines technical crochet skills with creative assembly. The result is a stunning, one-of-a-kind piece that celebrates life, color, and the beautiful tradition of Día de los Muertos.

Every skull has personality, every flower adds joy, and together they create something truly special. Whether you make this for yourself or as a gift, it’s sure to bring smiles and start conversations!

Don’t forget to:

Take photos of your finished bouquet
Share with the crochet community
Experiment with your own color combinations
Most importantly – have fun and enjoy the process!

📌 Pattern Notes

Gauge: Not critical for this project, but consistent tension is important
Pattern is worked in continuous spirals unless otherwise noted
Weave in ends as you go to make finishing easier

Happy crocheting! 🌈💀🌸